Peptides MEX / Glossary
Receptor: binding, ligand and activation
Separating the signaling molecule from its receptor helps make sense of pathway and assay names.
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The site that recognizes a signal
In cellular pharmacology, a receptor is a protein or complex that recognizes and binds particular messenger molecules. A molecule that binds is called a ligand. Receptor and ligand are different entities even when their names resemble each other.
Binding is not activation
An assay can measure binding affinity without measuring a functional response. An antagonist may bind and block an agonist’s action. Check whether a result measured binding, signaling or a later consequence.
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